Pentagon reviewing Pratt recommendation to resume F-35 flights

February 28, 2013|Reuters

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - The Pentagon said on Thursdayit was reviewing a recommendation by Pratt & Whitney to resumeflights and ground operations of the F-35 fighter jet, lifting agrounding order issued last week after inspectors found acracked engine blade on a test plane.

Spokesman Kyra Hawn said officials from the U.S. Air Force,Navy and the Pentagon's F-35 program office were reviewing datafrom a comprehensive engineering investigation conducted byPratt about the cracked blade, but said no decision had yet beenmade on whether to lift the grounding order.

Pratt spokesman Matthew Bates confirmed the Pentagon's F-35Joint Program Office was assessing the company's recommendationto resume flights but declined to offer any further comment.

Pratt, a unit of United Technologies Corp, suppliesthe engine for the single-engine, single-seat fighter plane,which is built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

The Pentagon announced the grounding of all F-35 warplaneson Friday after an inspection revealed a crack on a turbineblade in the jet engine of an F-35 being tested at Edwards AirForce Base in California.

It was the second engine-related grounding in two months ofthe $396 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the Pentagon'slargest weapons program. The Marines Corps version of the planewas grounded for nearly a month starting in mid-January becauseof a faulty hose in the engine.